Reading City Park (Reading, Pa)

Hello All:

Today I visited Reading City Park and the Ringgold Light Artillery Memorial. This memorial commemorates the patriotism and promptitude of the Ringgold Light Artillery of Reading, Pennsylvania, which reported for duty at Harrisburg, April 16, 1861, arriving there first of the Pennsylvania Companies; and with the Logan Guards of Lewistown, Washington Artillerists of Pottsville National Light Infantry of
Pottsville, and Allen Infantry of Allentown, entered the City of Washington April 18, 1861,the first defenders of the Capital, this monument was erected by the Citizens of Reading, Pennsylvania. Check out my photos on Flickr.

Sincerely,
Civil War Sally

My Visit to Reading, Pa (Berks County)

Today, my new friends and I visited Charles Evans Cemetery (Reading, Pa – Berks County). We visited the gravesites of Reading's First Defenders, members of the Ringgold Light Artillery, which was one of the first five companies of Northern volunteers to reach Washington upon the outbreak of hostilities in April 1861. The Ringgold Light Artillery of Reading was called upon to provide much of the heavy ordinance used in the Civil War. Berks County regiments fought bravely in many of the major battles of the war, including the July 1863, battle at nearby Gettysburg. Pictures will be posted this week.

Hardtack

Hi Sallie here,

I just wanted to tell you a little bit of information on hardtack. The definition for hardtack is a saltless hard biscuit, bread, or cracker. This food was for the Union soldiers and johnnie cakes (similar but made from cornmeal) were for the Confederate soldiers.

Some times they dunked the hardtack in coffee because it was hard and it had animals (like maggots and weevils) in it and the coffee would make it soft and kill the animals. It was made out of flour, salt, and water. They were also called molar breakers because the hardtack was hard and starting to mold.

This is what hardtack looks like.

Here is what you use to make hardtack:

2 cups of flour

3/4 cup of water

1 tablespoon of Crisco or vegetable fat

6 pinches of salt

Mix and knead many times. Bake for 30 minutes or less for 400 degrees. Then flip over and wait an another 30 minutes or less. Wait till cooled to enjoy hardtack.

How did I find this research? My friend Sarah has to do a science fair project and she chose to do it on hardtack. Her title is Which Hardtack Will Mold Faster? So, I used her research to create this blog post.

Until next time....